Fishing at Lac Mandarino, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec

• Overview

  Set in Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, this is Lac Mandarino. This is boreal forest ground. With some 63 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The perimeter runs near 6.9 km, so plan the walk before you start. Chapais sits 45 km from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Saguenay, 352 km distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Mandarino

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Nord-du-Québec: Arctic charr, brook trout and lake trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Lac Mandarino repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -19°C in January up to 16°C in July. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Lac Mandarino more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Lac Cady is 2 km distant. The position on Lac Mandarino is worth confirming on the day.